Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-11-26
BIRDS THAT KNOW SOMETHING.

An exhibition of educated parrots re-
Gently held in Paris showed very clearly to
what a high state of perfection these birds
are capable of being trained. Their stage
was long table, at one end of which were
perches, on which were grouped half a
dozen parrots. Four of these were cocka-
toos-white, with yellow crests; the other
two were gray parrots, with the neck and
under parts rose color.
Among the tricks which they perform at
the bidding of their owner, NJ Abby, are
the following: Two fixed bars on upright
supports are placed on the table; parrot
climbs upon one of them, turns somer-
sault, keeps his head downward, and, pass
ing on to the second bar, goes through the
Tom, small white parrot, who comes
toward him as if about to climb on one of
the bars, but runs back again, holding
down his head and shaking his wings in a
grotesque way. Tom is evidently the
buffoon of the troupe. A bell is then
brought, with handle which forms a
lever; parrot advances, and, putting one
foot on the lever, rings the bell The
trainer asks the audience what number of
rings they wish for; some one exclaims,
: Seven~ and the parrot rings the bell
seven times.
The bird is then asked how much does
three times three make, and it replies by
ringing the bell nine times. 4 perch is
then placed on the table in the form of a
see-saw, at each end of which gray parrot
perches, and in the center, just above the
pivot, jumps magnificent white parrot
named Charley, the principal one in the
troupe. The parrot throwing the weight
of his body successfully to right and left
of the pivot, rocks the see-saw rapidly. To
see the animation of this bird during the
performance one would suppose that he
took real pleasure in rocking his COM
panions.
The same bird then goes through another
exercise. -Four hagstaffs are set up on the
table, and at the foot OF each is flag at
tached to cord which passes over pull
ley at the top. The flags are English,
French, Belgian and American. One of
the audience asks for the French flag.
Charley advances, draws himself up,
erecting his bright yellow crest, and
spreading his wings, suddenly seizes the
line with his beak and then, alternately
with beak and foot, hauls up the flag as a
sailor would, hand over hand, until it is
fast at the top. He then goes through the
same performance with the other flags in
succession
Several letters of the alphabet are placed
upright on the table, and Charley is again
brought forward, pluming himself as be-
fore. A spectator calls for letter. Char
ley hesitates inclines his head on one side,
appears to reflect, then suddenly advances
and picks up the letter named, repeating
the performance with other letters when
called for. Suddenly little Tom Jumps off
his perch, runs up, seizes the remaining
letters one after another, and pitches them
away on the floor. Another parrot then
appears, and at the word of command
throws several somersaults on the table.
Two others follow, and waltz slowly round
while the music plays.
OF all parrots, NJ. Abby considers the
white cockatoos the most gifted in regard
to agility and capability for learning tricks
being, in fact, acrobats by nature. They
are very slow in learning to talk, but they
are easily tanned, and understand and do
what they are told.-La Nature.